Gordon Brown said yesterday that it would be a mistake to question Britain's EU membership at a time of global economic problems. Recent financial turbulence was "a wake-up call" for every economy, the Prime Minister told an audience of business leaders. He also urged the EU to focus on economic reform and to be open, flexible and outward-looking rather than protectionist. Critics have questioned Brown's commitment to Europe, particularly after he arrived late last month in Portugal for the signing of the Lisbon Treaty, overhauling the EU's structures. Britain was well placed to withstand the global financial turbulence expected this year because of low inflation and interest rates and record high employment, Brown said, adding public finances were "in a sustainable position". Brown said the EU must act immediately to protect against financial turbulence. He plans to host a meeting this month with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi to discuss stability measures.
Gordon Brown said yesterday that it would be a mistake to question Britain's EU membership at a time of global economic problems.
Recent financial turbulence was "a wake-up call" for every economy, the Prime Minister told an audience of business leaders.
He also urged the EU to focus on economic reform and to be open, flexible and outward-looking rather than protectionist.
Critics have questioned Brown's commitment to Europe, particularly after he arrived late last month in Portugal for the signing of the Lisbon Treaty, overhauling the EU's structures.
Britain was well placed to withstand the global financial turbulence expected this year because of low inflation and interest rates and record high employment, Brown said, adding public finances were "in a sustainable position".
Brown said the EU must act immediately to protect against financial turbulence. He plans to host a meeting this month with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi to discuss stability measures.
Brown promises to 'keep Britain at heart of Europe'
Well, that was certainly entertaining. :)
To Brown, europe is a business entity, a grand EFTA. It is not a political project and anybody who thinks Brown has any interest in this aspect will be greatly disappointed. keep to the Fen Causeway
But I think Helen is right - as usual. This is really just an assertion of the dominance of the City, and its aimless self-serving witterings about 'reform', within the Eurozone.
To take out the relevant part:
Whenever there's a big shitpile, people try to shove the shit towards others. I've seen this happening live in an environmental NGO I interned in (you'd think work relations are good in an NGO, but no...), and have heard quotes using this literal terminology (in Dutch). I've also seen it happening in a marketing firm I worked in. It's not so much shifting the blame (also important) as making others deal with the problem. Really a basic principle of organisational logic.
Brown is now trying to make Merkel, Sarkozy, Prodi et al deal with his problem. They should realise that this puts them in a good position to extract far-reaching concessions from Brown, if they are to do anything at all.
This concept is worthy of a diary. It needs preserving in our institutional memory. Of course, I say that because it accords with my experience too.
